Meet the Ocean Adventures Dive Team

"LA's most experienced dive instructors make the best teachers."

Steve Ladd

PADI Master Instructor #160670

Emergency First Response and Divers Alert Network O2 Instructor

Emergency Medical Service / EMT

Steve earned his Open Water certification at age 15. Now the owner of OADC/PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center spreading his life long passion for the ocean to his community. He offers high quality equipment, instruction and dive travel. Having a family of divers and a network of diving friends has kept Steve's enthusiasm strong. His passion is watching our local dive community flourish, as the dive club grows and the barbecues get bigger! Steve encourages his staff to excel and provide advanced instruction. Steve is also a past volunteer presentation diver at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

E-mail Steve:

Andy C. Huber

UTD Tech 2 Instructor

UTD Overhead Protocol Instructor
UTD Ratio Deco Instructor

IANTD Adv. Recreational Trimix Instructor

TDI Adv. Nitrox Instructor

SDI Open Water Instructor

PADI IDC Staff Instructor

DAN Diving Emergency Specialist (DES) Instructor

UTD & GUE Cave 2 Diver
Life Support Systems Service Technician

GUE Tech 1 Diver
TDI  Adv. Trimix Diver

IANTD Full Trimix Diver
UTD Gas Blender Instructor
SAG Member

Fluent in German

E-mail Andy:

SZILVIA GOGH

PADI Course Director

PADI Specialty Instructor Trainer

EFR Instructor Trainer

DAN Instructor Trainer

Dive Travel Specialist
SAG Member
Stunts and Water Safety

Since 1989 Szilvia has been involved in International Competition Level Orientation Diving, and has logged close to 5000 dives, including training, competition, and recreational dives. She decided to travel around the world and make a living of scuba diving. She has lived and dived pretty much all around Europe, Australia, Thailand and Mexico. In 2003 she became a Course Director. She is proud to be the youngest female world-wide ever excepted to become a CD. She teaches dive instructor courses for the LAPD Dive Unit leaders, works as a safety and stunt diver in the motion picture industry. Recently she worked on Green Hornet, Piranha 3D, Flash Forward and Desperate Housewives.

She loves to travel off the beaten path to expose herself to anything new and unusual, as she believes this is how we learn more about local culture and people. You can see some of her pictures at www.szilviagogh.com. She is a founder of Miss-Scuba, the online resource for female divers. www.miss-scuba.com. Miss Scuba is a culture of its own; an expression of free will, untamed souls, a rebellion against mediocrity and the yearning for finding adventure and excitement in life.

E-mail Szilvia:

Stewart Tanner

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer #237601

TDI Nitrox and trimixBlender

Emergency First Response Instructor

DAN Instructor

Multiple Specialty Instructor Ratings
DSAT Trimix Gas Blender Instructor

Stewart grew up in Laguna Beach California. An avid surfer and free diver as a young man, it was only natural for Stewart to discover SCUBA. Stewart’s wife an avid SCUBA diver suggested he get certified for their honeymoon. Once certified Stewart’s passion for the ocean drove him to become a PADI Instructor. Stewart shares his passion and love for the ocean with each of his students. “It’s awesome to see the eyes of your students when the encounter a sea lion for the first time. Every encounter with sea creatures brings a smile like that of a child to your students and you know they get it”.

E-mail Stewart:

Tim Balcomb

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer(MSDT) #234976

Emergency First Response Instructor

Underwater Video Specialist
DSAT Trimix Gas Blender Instructor
TDI Nitrox and Trimix Blender
PSI Visual Cylinder Inspector
Underwater Filmmaking Instructor

Tim learned to dive right here at Ocean Adventures Dive Company! Initially certified to work on a movie he was soon bitten by the bug and diving every weekend possible. Now an instructor, he wants to share the fun, beauty, and most of all, the community of diving with all of his students. “Ocean Adventures has become like a second home to me over the years, and I want each and every one of my students to feel as welcome as I did.” Tim is also an aspiring underwater filmmaker, and is always available to answer questions about capturing the ocean world on film.

E-mail Tim:

Leonard Seagal

PADI Master Scuba Diver Instructor #242532

Multiple Specialty Instructor

Emergency First Response Instructor

Founder and Managing Director of AquaPhotic.com

Underwater Filmmaking Instructor

Underwater Lighting Instructor

IATSE Local 728

Safety Diver

Artist

Having grown up in Los Angeles Leonard has spent his lifetime in and around the water. One of his greatest pleasures is to dive with his teenage daughter, who at 13 became a PADI Master Scuba Diver with over 100 dives.

My hope is to be part of a process that creates a greater awareness of the fragile beauty of our oceans. -LS

E-mail Leonard:

Maciek Arkuszewski

UTD Trimix 2 Diver
UTD Rec 1-3/Rescue/Dive Master/Essentials/Intro to Tech Instructor
UTD Tech 1/2/Gold Instructor
UTD DPV 1 Instructor
UTD Nitrox Instructor
UTD Techical Gas Blender Instructor
UTD Stage/Drysuit/Doubles Minis

Maciek came to LA from Poland in 1999 and fell in love with diving and California coast. Diver since 2000 and instructor since 2004 Maciek is a firm believer in diving in unified team and is actively promoting this approach in courses he conducts. As technical diver Maciek explores less dived locations, which require application of advanced diving techniques, and attempts to pass this knowledge to his students. On rare days when conditions are bad he can be found shredding slopes on snowboard.

E-mail Maciek:

Steve Cramer

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) #193572

DAN Instructor

Steve started diving several years ago while stationed in Hawaii. As a helicopter crewman and Search and Rescue swimmer, he had a natural affinity for the water. Over the years, he was out of diving while raising a family and building a career, but returning to So Cal three years ago gave him the opportunity to return to his roots. "I grew up in Santa Barbara and Ventura, so I feel a strong connection to the ocean and the islands off the coast. What I didn't know untill I started diving here is how spectacular it frequently is". Steve trys to work on a personal level with each student, and build a sense on community in the class. "I want people to relax and have the time of their lives. Learning to SCUBA takes commitment, but it tends to bring out the best in people. The positive energy and sense of accomplishment is contageous. It's gratifying to lead people through different courses and watch them become more profiecient, confident and safe. You get to watch the lights go on and I love being a part of that."

Shawna McLean

President, Ocean Adventures Dive Club

Dive Master

Shawna learned to dive in the Philippines, then began diving at each Caribbean island she visited until she landed at Ocean Adventures gearing up for a trip to Bonaire. We invited her to dive Santa Barbara Island in March 2005 and after playing with all the sea lions she was hooked on diving the California coast and all the Channel and outer islands. She quickly began logging dives, taking courses, working part-time in the shop and planning dives and après-dive parties. Steve recognized that these skills might be put to good use when the Ocean Adventure Dive Club needed a new president. Shawna is continuing her education.

E-mail Shawna:

Canyon

Future Master Diver

He has a smile for you anytime you come in and will let you scratch him all over.